21 Guns
by spopococ
Summary: We should never have come to Nibelheim. There was nothing but hurt to remember here. I unsheathed Masamune, caressing the hilt in my fingertips as I surveyed the town. Would it be so hard to end it all? Sephiroth POV. SxC Yaoi. For Johnswinona.
1. Chapter 1

For Johnswinona, simply for being a darling that I adore. *loves on* I hope she likes eet.

I hope you other guys like it too, actually.

**Warnings: Yaoi**, **I don't own the characters**, nor will I ever, sadly. **Some coarse language**, cause I 'curse like a sailor' (Thanks for that, HunterBelmont. hahaha) **OOC** a little bit, or maybe a lot. At least, in my opinion it is.

_**Dedicated to:**_ Johnswinona

_**Prompt:**_ The song "21 Guns" by Greenday. (Not my favorite band _at all_, but the song WAS fitting. Thanks Johnswinona x3)

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_Chapter 1 of 2_

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Leather boots offered little sound as I paced the village centre, thoughts spiraling through my mind in a myriad of conflicting patterns and decisions, each one more deceptive and unclear as the last; if not more so. _Shinra_ had done this ultimately, as logic would remind me on a repeated loop. Still, thoughts were filled with a toxic uncertainty of who the real culprits were. Thoughts begged me to destroy all of them, everyone who inhabited the planet that Shinra controlled, and harbor the planet herself as my own personal slave to my will. Then, there were other thoughts fighting against the logic, and fighting against the darker invasions themselves, as I drew a hand up to run into my hair, calming myself as best as was possible with a small exhale of breath.

"_You don't have to do any of this, you know. We can leave. We can all leave, and we won't have to worry about any of it any more. Everything we learnt, and everything we know about… well… everything… We can leave that all behind. We __**can**__… General…?"_

How could such softly spoken words echo so loudly within my ears? How could such a naïve perspective make such a large magnitude of sense? Every time a question was raised, I failed to find the answer. This was when it started to dawn on me that perhaps all the control I had always sought and eventually possessed, was slowly slipping from my fingers with every shred of sanity stolen from me. The Jenova project, Hojo, SOLDIER… Nothing would ever be the same in my eyes, in my thoughts, in anything I could possibly fathom ever again.

For years, I'd worked in servitude for a company that had created… no, _manufactured_ me… The idea of leaving seemed fruitless, yet the idea of staying only unfurled a lash of hatred within me that sent my blood burning with unbidden mako, and what I now knew to be JENOVA. Was there anything left within Shinra for me to fight for, or were there merely enemies to fight against? I felt a small smile creep along my lips of its own accord, as I honestly considered the thought.

"_General Sephiroth Sir! Th-thank you for the opportunity to come along, Sir!" _

I gave a small nod, stopping in my tracks, as my gaze drifted to the upstairs window of the town inn, where I knew he'd be sleeping.

"_Truth be told, I've never seen you fight, Sir… But Lieutenant Fair told me that it's almost breathtaking."_

When he'd said that, looking up at me with eager eyes as he stood by the training room door, my first thought had been whether or not he knew how easily breath was taken with a simple look at _him_. I'd said nothing however, gesturing him inside, where Zack was already waiting by the wall.

"_Hey Spike-head, good to see ya,"_ Zack had grinned charmingly, as I offered him a small smile of my own, his eyes meeting mine briefly before I stepped into the virtual arena.

"_Kick some ass. Don't make me look like a liar, okay?" _Zack had spoken over the intercom, and I'd given a simple nod, turning eyes to the window for a moment and being caught slightly off guard by the admiring sheen over the blonde's eyes as Zack shifted with dials and levers, before I lost sight of the cadet behind a virtual setting of Junon. I could have given it my all in that Training room. I could have easily had him awed, stunned, almost worshipping… But I didn't. I held back slightly, so that when I exited that room, he was impressed, but not speechless.

"_That was… amazing," _He'd muttered, a light blush rising along his cheeks as he said so, _"I hope I can fight like you one day, Sir."_

I nodded, offering a trace of a smile, which only furthered his blush.

"_One day, I'm sure you will be able to," _I reassured, setting his eyes wide with the compliment. Even Zachary seemed mildly startled as the blonde politely excused himself at the announcement for cadets to return to the training hall for a meeting. Zack had turned to me with a slight from then, and placed a firm hand on my shoulder.

"_Try not to lead him on or anything, okay?" _The Lieutenant frowned, and I'd responded with a questioning gaze.

"_He may very well make it to SOLDIER. How am I leading him on?"_

"_That wasn't what I meant," _Zack said lowly, giving my shoulder a firm squeeze, before he too took his leave.

Despite my desires for the blonde, I'd never allowed them to progress to something beyond professional. He'd become a friend of sorts, yes, otherwise he'd not have attended this mission by my side. After all, cadets weren't permitted to attend missions outside of the Eastern Continent without my expressed authorization. I knew he came from this town, and I'd wanted to offer him something that no one else could: A chance to visit his family and friends. At first, he'd seemed thrilled at the idea, but gradually, his excitement had faded.

"_It'll be good to see your ma, hey?" _Zack had grinned on the truck ride over here.

"_Guess so…"_

"_You don't seem too happy. I'd be rapt if I got to see my ma and my childhood sweetheart," _Zack winked, and I fought down the possessive envy that raced through my blood as the blonde blushed slightly.

"_It's not as easy as that, you know," _He'd murmured uncomfortably, his eyes flicking to me slightly, as he turned to face out the back of the truck, his features paling slightly.

"_Are you alright?"_ I asked, and he offered a small nod, drawing his knees to his chin. Zack reassured me later that it was nothing more than motion sickness, but I'd seen that ache shadowing the blonde's eyes in that moment. It wasn't just motion sickness. It was almost as if he'd been scared of facing his past, something that I now knew all too well. We should never have come to Nibelheim. There was nothing but hurt to remember here. I unsheathed Masamune, caressing the hilt in my fingertips as I surveyed the town, its residents sleeping softly in the midst of the night. Would it be so hard to end it all? Every memory that festered in this tiny town… Could it all be simply washed away? Cleansed, perhaps? I gave a sweep of Masamune, allowing her to glide through the air in a practiced movement. Perhaps, he and I could both have happiness if everything disappeared; this town, the evidence of what I was, everything; Even me.

"General Sephiroth, sir," A soft voice broke the silence, and I seized slightly, not wanting to meet his eyes.

"Cadet Strife," I replied just as quietly, lowering my blade so as not to harm him.

"I… don't _really _know what you found in that mansion, but," He paused, seemingly hesitant, "But none of that matters."

I opened my mouth, but said nothing, smirking slightly as I turned my gaze to the stoned surface below me.

"It does, actually," I murmured, "Some things were in there that you may not understand just yet, but it matters. They matter."

"You're not a monster," He said softly, "Zack said that you'd seen some things about Jenova, and about the other… things… back in the reactor…"

I heard him approaching, and flinched slightly in surprise, when I felt his fingers curl around my wrist.

"Sephiroth?" He queried, and I reluctantly turned my gaze to his, "You're not a monster. You're different, but you're not a monster."

My gaze held his and he shifted slightly, his hand never once leaving my wrist as he turned his gaze to his left, worrying his lower lip.

"I… I don't really know what to say. I've heard a lot of rumors from people in the science labs…" Cloud faltered slightly, finally letting go of my wrist to scratch at the back of his head.

"I was created. An experiment formed from alien cells, to create the so called perfect SOLDIER," I explained briefly, "I'm not human."

He let out a snort then, blushing as he did so, my brow rising slightly in confusion.

"Sorry, sir, but I think you're more human than most of the other SOLDIERs _at_ Shinra," the blonde offered quietly, "I've seen you fight in real combat situations now and… Well, nobody else seems to show such remorse when taking the life of something. When we lost Michael when the bridge collapsed, you might have _sounded_ cold, but I saw pain in your eyes. That's the kind of stuff you can't hide. It's _exactly_ the kinds of things that make somebody human. Not a title, or an upbringing, or whatever else."

I turned from him slightly, my eyes sliding along the shadowed form of the Shinra mansion. Had I not felt pain within there? Had I not learnt, responded emotionally, and reacted as a result? Was it truly those things that made a monster… a human? I shook my head slightly, zoning out a little.

"I was created to have emotions," I mused, and he let out a frustrated sigh.

"With all due respect, sir, _all_ humans are," He muttered, taking a few steps so that he stood beside me now.

"You know, I told you back in the mansion's basement that we didn't have to stay with Shinra," The blonde offered quietly, "We could figure all this stuff out together, you and me."

I turned my eyes to him then, and he blushed.

"Uh, and Zack, of course, sir," He nodded, and I shook my head.

"If you saw me as a human being, you'd use my name more often," I murmured, and he scratched the back of his head again.

"It's not about seeing you as a human being. It's about you being my superior," He shrugged slightly; "I've always thought you were above me, in a lot of ways. Sir just seems fitting. Besides, you asking me to say your name kind of makes me feel like…"

"Like what?" I asked, feeling my entire body gradually falling into a sense of calm, merely from his presence. How he did it, I'd never know, but he was almost a sedative of sorts. With my heightened sense of smell, I knew he was damn near always nervous in my presence, but this time, he seemed to be gathering his wits in speaking to me.

"It kind of makes me feel like you see me on an equal level," He replied bashfully, "I mean, it's nice and everything, but kind of awe-inspiring."

I offered a small smirk, before his gaze turned suddenly serious.

"You were going to do something to Nibelheim, weren't you?" he asked, and my breath caught slightly. He was far too observant at times, and it was likely to put me in uncomfortable situations such as these. That is, if I should choose to remain in his company.

_Was_ I going to do something to Nibelheim, however?

"Yes," I replied simply, and he shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

"It's… Well, I can understand why you would want to, but there are a lot of good people here," he murmured, "I mean, my mum's just across the road. She's a good person. I think you'd like her, actually. Maybe I could, you know, introduce you to her… someday…"

I mused on the idea of meeting Cloud's mother, and turned to see a light blush along the blonde's cheeks, noticeable even in the dark.

"You wouldn't feel uncomfortable with that?" I asked, my curiosity apparent even to me, "It was my understanding that such situations didn't occur too often, unless the individual involved was the family member's date of some sort."

His cheeks positively flared, as he let out a nervous laugh.

"Well, I wasn't saying that really, but it wouldn't exactly be the first time I've brought a boy home for her to meet."

I couldn't hide my surprise as he met my gaze briefly, before shyly turning away.

"What about your childhood sweetheart?" I asked, as he shifted uncomfortably once again. Despite my own confusion about everything, the dark past I'd been abruptly exposed to, and my inner conflict over whom and _what_ I truly was, my interest in the blonde was increasing with this newfound information. Was it really so impossible to have a future with such a being? Cloud himself was something seemingly un-natural in his beauty and persona. He was fragile but strong at the same time, and whilst he had a somewhat feminine physique and features, he was masculine in his combat skills. Put simply, he was almost breathtakingly beautiful.

"That's all it was. A childhood sweetheart," He murmured, "She didn't even know I existed. Never gave me the time of day…"

He paused then, before his eyes widened slightly.

"Sorry, Sir! I didn't realise I was speaking so freely," He offered apologetically, "It's not really something you'd probably be comfortable hearing."

"You're right," I nodded, "But probably not for the reasons you'd be expecting."

He offered me an inquisitive gaze, and a voice in my head begged me to ignore him.

…_Turn your back. He's manipulating you to save his town. He's just like all the others. Destroy him…_

I ignored it, disturbed by the thought of ever harming the blonde. At one time, perhaps I may have, when he'd been little more than a nameless cadet. Not now, however, as he stood before me; As Cloud.

"It makes me uncomfortable to think that someone would possibly choose to ignore you," I murmured, as he turned slightly, blush creeping along his cheeks.

"I'm nothing special," He shrugged dismissively, "Just a cadet."

"That's a lie."

There was a small silence then, before a low roll of thunder echoed around us. It wasn't long after that a flash of lightning followed, a soft sprinkling of rain began to fall, quickly intensifying into a torrential downpour. Cloud let out a small laugh beside me, holding his hands up to the sky.

"It hasn't rained here for months!" He explained his euphoria over the downpour, as he let the rain fall over him, running down his cheeks and forcing his uniform to cling to his lean frame. I watched him as it happened; his eyes alight with awed wonder, as he smiled softly, his eyes blinking back droplets of water. I turned my own eyes to the sky, relishing in the cold beads of rain striking my skin, allowing my eyes to close briefly, as the water ran along my lashes.

"If you hold up your arms while you stare up, it's almost like you're falling with the rain," He called out, and I offered a skeptical moment of thought, before allowing myself to surrender to spontaneity. I held my hands out to the sky, reaching for an answer I wasn't sure I'd ever find, allowing the water to slide along my gloved fingers and down the arms of my coat. A small smile fell unbidden from my lips, as I heard him laugh a little beside me.

"The first rains of the season," He grinned, as I turned my eyes to meet his. They were glowing slightly amidst the rain, as he offered a cautious smile, lowering his arms. I did the same, and stepped towards him, allowing my hand to wipe some of the pooling water gathering on his cheeks, once again acting on spontaneity.

"Sephiroth," he whispered, as I gave a small 'hmm?' captivated by the sight before me. Jenova, Hojo, Shinra, SOLDIER… All of that bullshit didn't seem to matter all that much anymore.

"What are you thinking?" He asked, and I trailed my hand to slide over slightly trembling lips, before resting once again against a heated cheek.

"That I wish you were mine," I replied flatly, and he let out a shaky breath.

"Oh," he replied simply, pursing his lips slightly, before I gave into carnal desires and stooped to press my mouth against his.

My blood flared slightly, as he let out a muffled gasp of surprise against my lips, before surprisingly eager hands gripped at the back of my head and crushed me against him, his lips pressing back with a burning intensity. A gently probing tongue found its way into my mouth then as he let out a soft moan against my own, which I echoed in appreciation. He pulled back with a startled laugh then, wide eyes full of undeniable lust as his fingers still clutched almost desperately at my hair.

"Did we just… Did you just kiss me, sir?" He asked breathlessly, and I smirked, fingers trailing along the blonde's sides.

"I may very well still be doing so, had you not pulled away."

"I… Are you sure I'm what you want?" He asked, and I allowed my lips to pillow against his forehead, pulling him closer to me as the rain continued to fall around us.

"Is it possible to love a monster?"

"Do you still think you're a monster?" He asked, and I nodded, my lips slipping slightly over his skin, as he raised his eyes.

"Then yes," He replied softly, "Even if I don't agree with that opinion, it is possible to love a monster…"

"Do you have feelings for me?" I asked bluntly, and his skin warmed against me.

"I think I always have."

Was it possible, for him to ever love someone like me? His anxiety in my presence was so often presented, that I often thought of myself as an object of fear to him, like I was for many others. He gave a soft sigh, and turned his head to rest against my chest, his hands now clinging to the front of my coat.

"Sephiroth, there are things we're never really going to understand about you. I think there's a lot of things most people won't get about themselves, but that shouldn't matter. Ever… Ever since I was a young boy, I've _idolised_ you. I know I'm not the only one," He murmured, "And you should know that people respect you. As a human being. They come to care for you. Like Zack does. Like… Like I do."

I gave a small nod, my body unwillingly reacting to his close proximity, the smell of his hair as it brushed my chin and cheeks, and the warmth of his body as it sought shelter against the rain, pressing against mine. As if knowing of my thoughts, he raised his head once again and offered a soft smile. He held my gaze with his own, before he raised his lips to meet mine once again, this time a slow and lazy exchange, as my fingers clenched slightly against the back of his uniform. Any thoughts racing through my mind disappeared, other than how much I desired him, needed him, and had undoubtedly craved him for so long. Tentatively, I slid my fingers beneath his shirt, trailing along his skin as he let out a breathy moan against my mouth. Every place on him was seemingly erogenous, as I dipped my mouth to rest in the crook of his neck, lacing the skin with kisses, his fingers sliding once again into my hair, massaging my scalp as he arched his head back slightly and let out a small groan. My teeth had bitten down lightly, drawing such a reaction, and with every pulse I felt through him, through my own blood, I felt a little more human. I felt a little more desirable, a little more responsive, emotive, everything that a human being could be seen to be. And with each feeling, I felt a little less fractured. He leant forward slightly to whisper into my ear, his breath a calming contrast of warmth against the cold.

"If you don't believe me, then let me show you," He murmured shyly, "Just how human you can be?"

The rain continued to fall, slicking blonde hair against his forehead, as a tentative hand slipped around my wrist. Despite me holding a higher position above him, anything he asked of me, I would gladly comply with, as I allowed him to lead me from the rain.

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**A/N:** One more lemony chapter to come. Lemme know if you like it so far. *hugs and love*


	2. Chapter 2

Glad people liked it. Hope you like this chapter. Love always to Johnswinona.

**Warnings: Yaoi**, **I don't own the characters**, nor will I ever, sadly. **Some coarse language**, cause I 'curse like a sailor' (Thanks for that, HunterBelmont. hahaha) **OOC** a little bit, or maybe a lot. At least, in my opinion it is.

_**Dedicated to:**_ Johnswinona

_**Prompt:**_ The song "21 Guns" by Greenday. (I hate that song now. Lol.)

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_Chapter 2 of 2_

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He was nothing short of a delicacy as he turned to give me a shy little smile, shaking the rain from his hair as he ruffled it through his fingers.

"I can't believe this is all still here…" He murmured, looking around the room with something akin to amused awe. I wasn't exactly sure where it was he'd taken me, but it wasn't the hotel, and it most certainly wasn't his own house. It was dark as he shuffled around the room, seemingly looking for something. He let out a small sound of triumph, as the room was filled with a soft glow. He'd found a kerosene lamp and lit it, before setting it upon a corner table.

"Where are we?" I asked softly, and he turned proud eyes in my direction.

"Technically, this is _my_ house," He replied, "As it was left to me by the owner when they passed on into the stream. No one else in the town knows that but my mum though. In Nibelheim, you can own property given to you through wills from the age of fourteen onwards."

I bit back a small smile as he opened the window and coughed slightly at the cloud of dust that arose. The house had clearly been left untouched for a long time, but by the eager look in his eyes, you'd think that the layer of dust over everything was little more than a spot on the windowsill.

"Do you know what this is?" Cloud gestured, his arms indicating the space around us.

"A… house?" I remarked slowly, not expecting the nod he gave in reply.

"Exactly. So you've lived in one of these, right?"

"Of course."

He gave a nod, before offering a soft smile.

"So… beavers live in rivers, birds live in trees, rabbits live underground," Cloud prompted, "So where is it that humans live?"

I could see what he was trying to do, and I wanted desperately to tell him he was wrong, misguided, misjudging somehow.

"Humans live in houses," I murmured, and he nodded once again.

"Exactly, Sephiroth, humans live in houses. Just like you do," The blonde reassured, as I furrowed my brows slightly.

"Cloud…"

He shook his head then, taking me by the wrist and leading me another room of the house after taking the lamp from the corner table. The heat around my wrist from his fingers was doing strange things to my body. A part of me wanted to tell him to let go, for fear that he was having too much of an affect over me, calming me in ways that I hadn't thought were possible. Every other part of me, however, begged that that feeling of warmth, that feeling of _feeling_, would never leave me. Even if he had not offered me those dizzying kisses, so full of sensuality that I wasn't quite yet ready to comprehend, his touch would have done wonders to me.

"_Are you alright, General? I hope you don't mind me being so forward sir, but you look a little pale," _He'd frowned then, his uniform coated in mud and snow as we clambered into the back of the truck after a stop off at Kalm on a mission several months ago.

"_I believe it is the cold, cadet," _I nodded reassuringly, and he'd hesitated briefly, leaning forwards in his seat, before pulling back. He did it again, however, this time placing the back of his hand against my head.

"_Sorry Sir, but I thought…" _He swallowed hard, as I'd held his gaze for a few moments, feeling the cool skin pressing slightly harder against my skin as we jostled over a bump, _"I uh, I thought you might have a fever, sir."_

"_How's he faring then, kiddo?" _Zack had asked, and Cloud's hand had snapped back as if bitten.

"_Uh, a little warm, Lieutenant," _Cloud nodded, _"But not too bad."_

"_He's not used to the snow as much as we are. It takes him a little to adjust," _Zack had grinned over from the corner, _"It's admittedly kinda nice to know he's not perfect though."_

Was that another trait that made me human? That I wasn't perfect after all, like they had intended to create me?

We stopped in a bedroom, and he set the lantern down once again, before gesturing at the room.

"You have a bedroom, right?" He teased, and I gave a small sigh.

"Yes…"

"Once again, that means-"

"Cloud, I can see what you're trying to prove here, but," I stopped, my eyes lingering on a photo just behind the blonde's head. He frowned slightly, seemingly in confusion, before following my eyesight. It was of a younger Cloud, perhaps only a few years ago, his eyes bright as he smiled shyly at the camera, his hair blowing slightly to the left, as he held a replica Masamune in his hands. His skin was flushed from apparent embarrassment, as if he'd been caught with the toy when he'd rather not have been. I turned my gaze to focus on the blonde, whose cheeks were as red as they were back when that photograph was taken.

"I, uh, was kind of well liked by the couple that lived here," He smiled sheepishly; "There's photos of me all over the place."

I turned my attention to the dressing table, where there was yet another photo of the blonde, a pale woman with unruly blonde hair standing behind him, her arms hanging over his shoulders to connect at the front, the pair of them smiling softly at the camera, seemingly content to simply be with each other.

"My mum," The blonde explained, "We get along really well. She… makes me smile."

My heart stilled slightly. Only thirty minutes ago, I'd have set this town alight. I'd have taken that smile from Cloud's face, and I'd have had hell trying to get it back for him. I may very well have never been able to. He'd have hated me. I must have let some of my mortification show through, as he placed a gentle hand on my arm and furrowed his brows slightly.

"General?"

"How can I not be a monster, when all of this... _hate_… could have done something horrible?" I asked, and he shook his head.

"It didn't though. You stopped yourself from doing anything bad. Your _conscience_ is what saved Nibelheim," Cloud said firmly, "You're human _morality_ is what saved Nibelheim. Something within you told you it wasn't the right thing to do as a person as a human being."

I gave a small nod, turning my attentions back to him, as he looked up with open, trusting eyes.

"Think of what it was that stopped you," He nodded reassuringly, albeit a little nervously, as my gaze lingered, "Because whatever stopped you is the exact reason you're human."

I thought back, and it was easy. It was always there, plain in sight, latching on to me with bright, sky blue eyes…

"You, Cloud," I murmured, as his lips parted slightly in surprise, an all too tempting sight.

"Me?"

"You, Cloud," I repeated, dragging a gloved thumb across his lower lip, "You are what makes me human."

I barely registered the sharp exhale of air from his lips, before I locked onto his mouth with my own. My fingers slid up into his hair and pulled his lips closer to me, as my tongue gently sought entrance into his mouth. He gave it willingly, accepting it like every other fiber of my being that he had so far: Unconditionally. My other arm encircled his waist, pulling him against me, as his arms wrapped around my torso and clutched at my back, his breath coming in short and almost needy pants. I broke from the kiss, my lips brushing along his as I held his gaze and murmured to him.

"I want you to be mine," I said huskily, my own desire surprising even myself. His eyes flashed slightly, and seemingly glossed with a light sheen of possible tears.

"I always have been," He whispered shakily, as I lifted him by his waist, his legs wrapping around me and aiding him to meet my mouth with an increased vigor, a soft moan escaping as he did so. We fell back upon the bed in frenzied desire, as I hovered above him, pressing kisses along his lips, his cheeks, his chin… Wherever my lips could touch, I tasted, and still it was not enough. I wanted everything of Cloud. I wanted those smiles to be special for me, wanted his eyes to light up when he looked my way. I wanted his fingers to thread through my hair like he did when he'd first kissed me, and I wanted nobody else on the entire planet to have that. He had to be mine and mine alone. I trailed a thumb over those lightly swollen lips, and he surprised me, as teeth clenched down on the tip of my glove and began to pull it from my fingers. I watched then, as he took my hand in both of his and pressed it to his heated cheek, his eyes clenching shut briefly, blinking back tears. I paused, and his eyes snapped open, offering a shaky smile within them, as his lips did the same.

"They're good tears," He reassured, placing a kiss against my fingertips, before I lowered my lips to his throat.

I pressed my mouth against his pulse, and relished in the quickened beat thrumming through his entire body. He wanted me; for what I was. I gently grazed my teeth along the heated skin, almost tempted to bite down and sample the pure energy coursing through him, my own desires for such _life_ almost overwhelming me. My tongue trailed along his jugular instead, and I moved my lips to the dip between his neck and his shoulder, before sucking on the skin. It drew a mark to the surface and a shaky moan from Cloud's lips. Despite primal urges demanding I tear the blonde's shirt from his skin, my fingers worked nimbly to pull it over his head, as he shuddered slightly. At first, I presumed it was the cold, before I trailed my fingers along now bare skin, and he did it again. It was _pleasure_ from _my_ touch that was causing such a response. The thrill was exquisite, as I trailed kisses across the pale expanse of gradually forming chest and abdominal muscles, my lips pressing against the hem of his pants as his hands clutched at my forearms, his breath coming out in a shaky exhale. I could feel his arousal, almost smell it in the air, as my fingers deftly undid his slacks and lowered them over his legs, his briefs following shortly after. I let my gaze roam over his erection, well aware that he had this from _me_. Cloud was aroused by _my_ attentions. My breath caught slightly, before I placed a hesitant kiss against the leaking tip, tasting salt against my tongue. I then lowered my head over him, taking him flush into my mouth in one swoop of my lips.

"G-Gaia," The blonde stammered, before his head fell back, his eyes clenching shut at the action, and his fingernails digging into my arms. He writhed beneath me, as my tongue continued to trail patterns along his aching length, his erection throbbing in my mouth as I did so. I let out a satisfied moan despite myself, and Cloud shuddered at the action, one of his hands slipping into my hair to clutch at silver locks and tug slightly. I felt desire burn through me at the action, and allowed another few moans, as Cloud's moans grew in intensity. I bobbed a few times more, my tongue dragging along his flesh with a hunger for his release. After only moments more, he granted me the taste I so desired, my name escaping his lips in a breathless cry.

His hands stroked through my hair then, as I swallowed every drop of his release, before one hand pulled me to his lips, as he delved his tongue into my mouth to meet my own. I stilled in pleasure then, as his wandering hand found its way into my pants and teased at my own aching need.

"I need… to claim you," I murmured, and he let out another groan, his hand squeezing my aching length and drawing a similar response from my own mouth, before he wriggled his pants off and began working on undoing mine. He slid them down my legs and pulled me towards him, taking my ungloved hand once again and placing three fingers in his mouth, his tongue mimicking the actions of mine only moments ago. I watched with growing fascination, a flush creeping along his cheeks, as he let out slightly labored breaths, his arousal growing rapidly once again. After a few moments, he removed the fingers from his mouth and placed kisses against them, before sliding them down his body to his entrance. I took the suggestion, and eased a finger in, feeling him clench around it in the process. He looked clearly uncomfortable, and when I withdrew the finger and didn't place it back, he shook his head.

"I need it… stretched first," He explained softly, his cheeks flaring in apparent embarrassment. I nodded in understanding, sliding up his body in order to place a distracting kiss against his parted lips, before gently easing the finger in once again. He gave a soft sigh of discomfort, before easing into the motion. When his body eased its stronghold, I eased in another, and he moaned slightly. Initially, it seemed pained, but it turned to a guttural sound of pleasure near the end. Several moments later, His entire body shuddered, as my fingers pressed against a knot of flesh.

"Ah!" He gasped, his body tightening slightly, before he let out another low moan, encouraging me to repeat the action. Bright eyes flashed open and he cried out softly, before nodding at me.

"Take me… now…" He breathed, and I complied, pulling my fingers to line my own leaking erection against his body. He tensed once again as I gradually entered, but he let out a tight groan as I filled him entirely. He gripped my forearms again, his teeth clenched as he tried to relax his body.

I released a gasp of air that I hadn't realised I'd been holding in, as his body gripped at me with an intense heat, the sensation delicious in every sense of the word. He then gave a small nod, pulling back from my erection, to lower himself back on it moments later. I let out a low groan, and he made one in return. Gradually, we began to set a pace, as our bodies connected in heated desire and shared affection. I'd found that knot in his body once again, and relished in the soft gasps and startled moans spilling from his lips with every nudge against it I offered. He hissed as my hand reached between us and grasped at his throbbing erection once again, and he writhed slightly as I also lowered my mouth to drink from his own. I stroked his length at the same pace as my own length slid in and out of him, the blonde letting out a guttural moan against my mouth as I did so. This surely was perfection, as his sweat soaked body slid along the equally slicked skin of my own, his own fingers joining mine in the exploration of his body, as his free hand dragged slight fingernails along my chest and abdomen. My pace increased, feeling the coils of pleasure quickly building in my stomach with each gripping tug of his body on my own. He was gasping my name at a steady rate, as if in tune with each pound of his heart and I knew then that the life he had coursing through him was a part of my own, our bodies intertwined and in tune. Each time I stroked the inside of him with an eerily familiar ease, his lips would part in our kiss, the sloppy exchange of mouths abruptly abandoned in favour of moans and groans, accompanied by the slapping of skin against skin. Midgar's finest orchestra could not have sounded more beautiful. His moans grew louder, and his body clenched tighter around me, before he roared my name into the night, his hands scrabbling at my body as he released himself into my hand. My thrusting continued, and in an effort to stifle his moans, his teeth latched onto my neck and bit down. The pleasure mingling with the surprise pain tore my own release from me, filling the blonde with my seed, as his name spilled from my lips in a guttural moan. I fell on top of him, as his tongue laved apologetically at my wound, his lips kissing softly in an attempt to ease any pain. Yes, he was the reason I was human, and he would remain that way for the rest of our lives.

The blonde let out a large sigh, as I rolled over and out of his body, before he wriggled under the covers and pulled them over my own body, his naked form pressing against my half clothed body, as he pressed a series of gentle kisses against my partially exposed chest.

"Sephiroth," He murmured, as I turned my gaze to meet his.

"Cloud?"

"Do you… love me?" He asked, as I held his gaze with intent seriousness. I had not expected such a question, but it made sense to answer it regardless. He'd awoken sense in me, feelings in me, thoughts within me that felt entirely too familiar, and yet, entirely comfortable just the same. There was a part of me I was yet to understand, but Cloud was revealing me to myself in leaps and bounds, and it wasn't likely to remain hidden for long. He looked up at me, worrying his lip slightly, as if in concern he had said something wrong, and I brushed some of the hair from his eyes.

"I… think so, yes," I nodded, and his cheeks flared against my chest.

"I love you," He murmured simply, "And I think that maybe I might be able to help you love yourself like I do."

The last sentence was almost a whisper, as he chanced gazing up at me with those beautiful blue eyes. There was so much beauty on a single being that simply looking at him had me almost overwhelmed.

"I think you can," I nodded sincerely, and he gave a small nod and nuzzled closer to my warmed skin.

Anything I'd said, or done, or acted upon in my past was nothing now. With Cloud pressed against me, the rain continuing to fall outside, nothing else had ever mattered or would ever matter again. I felt unlike I had before; like this moment of simplicity shared with the blonde offered an epiphany of sorts before me. If I were truly a monster, would I have been able to love? Would I have been able to fear loss, as I did with Cloud? Would I have ever been able to touch such flawless skin with anything but anger? It didn't matter, however, whether I was human, or a monster, or any other questionable existence I'd so recently feared.

If a blessing like Cloud could come to love a monster, then perhaps I could too.

--

**A/N:** Hope this isn't _too_ awful in quality; I've had a horrible past week or so. Sorry it's so short too, but I just needed it… done.

Hope you like it, Win. –love-


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